Is there anything you recently gave up to cut your expenses?

I gave up spending so much money on guns.

Other than that, I stopped buying such expensive food and cut my energy usage.

@KatetheGreat Ow, that’s gotta hurt

Yes. I’ve sworn off buying books just to read them once. Instead I’m reestablishing the library habit that I once had. I’ll keep my purchases to things I know I’ll come back to or have a special reason for owning, such as reference books and things I know I’ve got to write in. When you go from a double salary to no salary, some luxuries have to go, and steady book buying is a major one of mine.

I changed my auto insurance from AllState to AAA. Thirty years with AllState without a single claim or late bill and they couldn’t come down one dime. AAA cut my rate exactly in half.

That agent who wants you to believe he’s your best friend… isn’t.

Yes. Red wine. I loved a couple of glasses each evening. But I’ve cut back. Not a cheap habit, nor is it a necessary one.

Been holding off on gun stuff for awhile. It sucks.

@woodcutter I know how you feel…it’s very expensive and addicting.

Nope.. I’m in a industry that does well when people are hurting. Your house getting foreclosed on means I get a new TV.

I gave up twice monthly manicures/pedicures a few years ago. I miss being so nicely groomed all the time. Recently I haven’t given up anything but instead been almost ready to bring a few things back.

Instead of drinking three glasses of milk each day, I am now only drinking one glass.

A lot…and it may pale in conparison for others but I stil had to shelve a lot of well laid plans thanks to our tanked economy.

Switched to high volume domestic spring water. bla

@KatetheGreat All I’ve been jonesing for lately is a .22lr Remington. All these years and I don’t even own a .22. After two packs of 54R heavy ball with the 91/30 I’m beat. The .22…it’s not just for girls.

Tim Horton’s coffee and a weekly video game.

Haven’t given up on buying like three horror movies every weekend though. Not yet anyways…lots of good deals around.

I was buying a magazine each month [and I was buying it for like 7 years and I had 95% of the ones that appeared]. But I somewhat forgot to buy them at some time [I cannot remember when] but when I look back now, I’m sure I did it for the expense.

I gave up manicures. And the funny thing is that my nails are longer than they’ve ever been in my life! I love it.

I gave up the vanity stuff like make-up, professional manicures/pedicures, and $150 haircuts/coloring for a $17 haircut. It’s been liberating, as well as time-saving and money-saving. The landline phone service was stopped, and only the cellphone is used now. Cable service was down-graded, since I wasn’t watching the movie channels that the old housemate set up. The Dollar General Store offers some of the basic food items needed at a lower price than the grocery store.

In looking back at this list, it isn’t really about giving up anything. It is more about eliminating expenses that weren’t needed in the first place.

@Pied_Pfeffer I agree— I have to more than halve my monthly expenses by September—I’m not sure how I will do that but I’ve started with cutting back on a lot of really unnecessary expenses too.
I also used to do a lot of extracurricular coaching and sponsoring at the school where I work. I realized that the coaching cost me money… I earned $2200 for 7 months of work, but because of the extra gas I spent getting home to get my daughter, then going back at 6pm, eating out because of the time crunch, buying things for the program because the school’s too ‘broke’ to do so, etc etc… I really only earned about $700, if that. So… that will go. I’ll find other activities to sponsor that I can do from home or right after school.
The BEST moneysaving thing in my life is my son’s girlfriend. He can’t hold on to a penny and had some serious entitlement issues with money. He started getting serious with a very frugal girl and, naturally, he listens to her more than mama… hallelujah!!

When I went back to school I cut back on everything. The biggest difference was eating out. I don’t go out unless someone else is paying, ever. The most I will “splurge” for food is to buy something prepared from the grocery store; otherwise everything is homemade. Cheaper and healthier, too.

I haven’t had a haircut in a year and a half, except for some touch ups I did myself.

The thing I miss most: wash and fold. Doing my own laundry sucks.

I started mowing my own lawn again. Saves me about $80 per month. I get a better job done and exercise too, not to mention the satisfying sense of accomplishment.

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies you should use an electric mower too, or better yet an old push blade mower!

Caffeine! I gave it up because it’s inconvenient to have a caffeine addition while traveling, but I’ve noticed that I’ve saved money. If I wasn’t home in time for my afternoon caffeine fix I’d get it on the road, and pay. Since I quit, that’s money I’m not spending. It also reduced my sugar intake, since I always add sugar. Voila!

Three-hooker orgies are not quite the same as four-hooker orgies :(

@bob_ That answer goes so well with your icon.

@linguaphile Aesthetic integrity is a big part of my Fluther experience.

I have a friend cutting my hair instead of a salon. In general, I’ve cut our spending by at least 50%.